Five Mindsets Keep You From Achieving Your Success

By Hanan Awaad

Hanan AwaadPresident, Corporita Consulting Inc.

Your attitude towards life and the mindsets you adopt to, determine the path you take to reach your highest potential and success in life. However, these five mistakes or crippling mindsets – we all had experienced from time to time – blind our sight and distract our focus on what really matters.

DISCONNECTING FROM YOUR WHY

“You see things; you say, ‘Why?’ However, I dream things that never were, and I say ‘Why not?”

George Bernard Show

Your WHY is your compass. Simon Sinek says: “we start with the “what” and “how ” but we should start with the “why.” I personally believe that every time I managed to articulate why I do what I do clearly and communicate this inside out instead of outside in, I was able to inspire myself to do things I never imagined I would do.

Before going out to the world, roll up our sleeves and try to inspire others, we have to inspire ourselves. We inspire ourselves by tapping into those good feelings associated with our “WHY.” Knowing that there is no magical recipe for success except being driven and passionate by your WHY, you will go through the list of your to-dos not because you have to, but because you want to.

TRYING TO FIT IN

I love what Dr. Seuss said: “Why to fit in when you were born to stand out?” Whether you are trying to fit into a group, a stereotype or the expectations of others, you are deviating from your way to success. Fitting in should not be hard. If you try the right dress, it will slide around your body comfortably and hug your curves beautifully. On the other hand, if you get a too tight or too loose dress, you will look clumsy, and you will feel bad about yourself.

NOT PRIORITIZING

Your time is your limited inventory. Some people go in life wasting hour after hour, day after day, year after year acting like a hamster in a wheel, moving but reaching no destination. I love this quote by Criss Jami: “ Prioritize your passion. It keeps you sane.” Prioritizing your actions and tasks based on importance and connecting those to your why will keep you on track.

NOT FEELING “LIKE IT.”

I know that feeling very well. Sometimes we walk up in the morning not feeling like doing what we should do. Moreover, we have this nagging voice in the head telling us what we should be working on right now. Every day, my kids return from school and ask me ‘did you finish your to-do list,’ I believe they learned from me! It is frustrating to me to go through the day without accomplishing what I wanted to achieve. In those days I “Woman Up” and I listen to that nagging voice. I ask myself, why I am not feeling like it? This question helps me to figure out the cause and tackle it. Here are some reasons:

You are tired or exhausted

Your mental energy is drained.

You are upset because of some situation.

Your physical or work environment shuts you off.

Your health is not in its prime, and you lack the energy.

The task you should do is not stimulating enough.

The work you should be doing requires a skill-set you lack, or you have not mastered yet.

Some other personal reason.

In those days, I halt and think of ways to attack the heart of the problem. For example, if I am faced with a mission that requires new skills, I schedule some learning time to read or watch tutorials. If I am feeling upset about something, I try to vent on paper or talking to a friend. In many cases, I just suck it up and work anyway.

ALL-OR-NONE

Do you suffer the Superwoman Syndrome? Me too. Regrettably, many women feel obligated to burn themselves out to become the best wives, be Martha Stewart in the Kitchen, ace the tests, be crafty, have the most bright image ever, and so on … the list never ends. All you can do is doing your best; try to focus on work while at work and focus on family when at home; establish your support system; delegate some of your tasks; and pray for the best results. Say no to a friend when you cannot join her for lunch and do not feel bad about it. Moreover, remember that quote from Paulo Coelho novel.“She wanted to follow all possible paths and so ended up following none.”